“Constitution is important.” The brown-haired man, Thomas, was talking at an audience of two, leaving Madelaine wishing she had … something in her hand to distract herself with. Elijah seemed to be sitting attentively, however, and the other three adults weren't actually the target of his largely one-sided conversation. “I've nearly died here. More than once.” He looked at Madelaine, his face pinching tight. Adults. Madelaine waved her hand at him.

“Constitution is important if you get hit. You should be trying not to get hit in the first place, tank-boy.” Thomas looked at her, then at Elijah.

“You both picked thief. I assume you both have pretty good evasion?” Madelaine didn't need to look.

“Six.”

“Three.” Elijah frowned.

“My base armor is twelve.” Thomas looked at Madelaine. “I don't even have to dodge, and I'm as hard to hit as you are.”

“You also took a class where you hit monsters in the face with your fists.”

“True.” Thomas looked down at his hands, turning them over. Then he looked back up. “Anne uses a bow most of the time; she specializes in the longbow. I'm … actually not sure what her class is. Maybe she's told me, maybe not.”

“Ranger.” Anne piped up.

“Right, Ranger, that makes sense. Arias is a Fencer.” His eyes drifted to the rapier Madelaine was wearing, taken from a dead man; they'd let her have it back. “She has a shortbow as well. Norris pretty much exclusively fights at range. You should fight from as long a distance as possible, as much as possible. If you don't want to focus on Constitution, please at least consider a ranged class.”

“Ahem.” Anne, thank god. “Elijah, my recommendation to you is to take a Scion distinction. Given you're a Lightbringer, I'd personally suggest Scion of Sustenance at the second ascension once you reach your fifth class ascension.” She looked at Thomas, then back at Elijah. “You can find work as a healer. Pretty much any village will accept you.”

“Uh, thanks.” Elijah just stared at Anne. He'd remember it later. Probably. She could remind him if he forgot.

“Madelaine … ” Anne hesitated. “You're going to have some difficulties. There's no guarantee you are going to get … anything worth having. Things are not entirely random, however.” Her face, surprisingly smooth for the gray of her hair, tightened. “But you would not have gotten things for fighting unless that is what you wanted. You're young to have that kind of anger.” Anne's voice, normally so severe, had turned cloyingly sweet and soft.

“I'm not angry.”

“Then why?”

“Because it's cool. I raised the dead! Like that lady in … uh … that story.” Madelaine's enthusiasm fell a notch as she remembered that there were things she couldn't remember, but she continued, nonetheless, “And I know things about volcanoes!” Thomas jumped in surprise at that, and stared at her. “Things I didn't know before. And yeah, I got hurt. But then I got harder to hurt. And that's the way you don't get hurt; you try to become stronger.”

“Huh.” Thomas grunted, staring at her. Anne stared at her. The pretty tall girl with the princess hair, Arias, just smiled.

“You're right, the heavy armor dedication is useless. You could make it work, but you probably shouldn't. Don't take any more Curses if you can help it.” The nerd was nerding out. Norris was alright, though. “What you want is a more reliable way of attacking enemies. Soul Binding can make your spells somewhat permanent, but you can't recover the mana until you end the spell. Arcane Control can help reduce mana costs.”

“I don't want either of those things.” Madelaine was searching through the distinctions – Thomas had told her how to filter them – looking for something. “That's the wrong thing to focus on. That's a thing I do, that's not the thing I do.” What a sad thought.

“Hm. Yes.” The sickly-sweet tone was gone. Anne was talking to Madelaine properly now, like a person, rather than a broken doll. She'd always hated that in adults. “Light Armor Expertise. Improved, even. You should also improve your expertise with rapiers if you intend to use one.”

They discussed her options.

Improved Weapon Expertise: Rapier

When attacking with a rapier/epee, increase your damage progression by 1. You may expend 1 Stamina to reduce incoming physical damage by (Agility Modifier).

Distinction: Armor Expertise: Light

When wearing Light Armor, you may spend 1 Stamina to increase your Movement Speed by 10 until the beginning of your next turn. +1 to Agility

Improved Armor Expertise: Light

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

When wearing Light Armor, you may spend 1 Stamina to apply your Evasion to your Damage Reduction until the beginning of your next turn. +1 Strength

Strength Training

You get +1 Strength at level 5, +1 Strength at level 13, and +1 Strength at level 20

Endurance Training

You get +1 Constitution at level 5, +1 Constitution at level 13, and +1 Constitution at level 20

Research

You get +1 Intelligence at level 5, +1 Intelligence at level 13, and +1 Intelligence at level 20

Meditation

You get +1 Wisdom at level 5, +1 Wisdom at level 13, and +1 Wisdom at level 20

Practice

You get +1 Agility at level 5, +1 Agility at level 13, and +1 Agility at level 20

Target Training

You get +1 Perception at level 5, +1 Perception at level 13, and +1 Perception at level 20

Two distinctions – dedications – and thirty customization points later, and Madelaine considered herself. She wore an oversized leather jacket;

Madelaine Tegrile

Accursed

Wanderer

Level 6

0 Misfortunes / 3 Fortunes

0 Curses / 0 Blessings

53/53 Health

6/6 Mana

7/7 Stamina

0 Distinctions Available

52 Skill Points Available

0 Customization Points Available

Strength

Constitution

Intelligence

-1

-2

3

0 Melee Damage Bonus

40 Maximum Health

42 Additional Skill Points

2 Maximum Worn Armor

-1 (7) Damage Reduction

5 Maximum Stamina Points

0 Deflection *

6 Base Armor

3 Spell Piercing *

Wisdom

Agility

Perception

2

7

2

3 Lores

8 Bonus Targeting

2 Reaction Time

3 Arcane Resistance

8 Evasion

4 (2) Stamina Regeneration

8 Mana *

30 (40) Movement *

3 Missile Range Bonus *

Her attention turned to Anne. “This looks good. Thank you.” She got a beaming response.

Thomas frowned, and took a long drink from his mug. Anne had brought some kind of weak alcoholic beverage; sweet, tart, and bitter, all at once. His gaze swept around the small room, his arms crossing, trying not to listen as Madelaine and Anne continued to discuss Madelaine's future options. Elijah was doing the sensible thing. The thing he himself couldn't quite force himself to do. Madelaine, however, was, by her own admission, an eleven year old girl. Who had killed more people than he had. Even so, she didn't belong here, and even though he couldn't articulate an argument to defend that position, he still held it. He was trying not to glare at Anne, who was talking a little girl through choices that would get her hurt, or even killed.

Everybody else just took this in stride. Okay, Elijah seemed a little disturbed, but he was too timid to speak out against it. He scowled, and turned to Norris, who had abandoned the conversation as soon as it was clear that Madelaine had no real interest in being a mage. A mage! Who could do magic!

“I don't understand why everyone is okay with a little girl fighting monsters.”

“She's reached her fifth ascension. She's an adult.” Norris looked at Thomas. “Did you ever finish your traits?”

Thomas paused. His mind went back to Cenpre. It felt … easier, now. The thought of getting anything out of Lust held no appeal to him, though. “I'm finished with them, yes.”

“Good. You weren't an adult, when we found you. Should we have told you you weren't allowed to choose the course of your life? Should we have made your decisions for you, then?” Thomas blinked. He had no response to that. “She's more adult than you were then.”

“She shouldn't have to be. Children should get to be children.”

“People are who they are; wishing somebody was less mature is just a way for you to wish you didn't have to be.” That was harsh. And maybe a little bit true. It took a moment to gather enough thoughts together for a response.

“I wish I didn't have to be. I wish nobody had to be. And I think everybody should have a childhood, a period of time when they don't have to be. Children should get to be children.” There was a sudden silence, and he realized he had raised his voice for this last part. Arias was looking at him with a … strange expression.

“Not everybody gets a childhood, Thomas.” Anne spoke, quietly. “Immaturity is an expensive luxury few can afford.” Arias looked away. Oh. His gaze moved to Madelaine, who was studying him with a lack of expression that made him feel like a bug under … under examination. He sat back, and considered the room.

“I'm sorry.” He wasn't, not exactly. He felt the way he felt. But he did feel bad, that he had made Arias feel bad. The realization that he didn't want to alienate these people came upon him then; more than the usual social anxieties, he actually cared how they felt. He could be sorry about how he made somebody feel, even if he wasn't sorry for thinking the things they found hurtful. Anne nodded slowly.

“What about Fortune Mastery?” Madelaine's voice. Anne turned back to her, and the conversation moved along once more, Thomas dropping away from the center of attention. He watched, his frown slowly fading, as he let go of the idea of winning the argument, and let himself move past it. It took an effort he wasn't quite expecting.